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' lets, the object being' to i dn-ined mes Schaut demise.

CHARLES AH. -IELMs; or POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

Lette/rs Patent No. 85,661, dated J mwa/ry 5, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN PUNCHING- BOOTS'AND O-'IlHER-LEATHER STOCK The Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making part of the same.

To all when: 'it ma/y concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. HnLMs, of Poughkeepsie`m the county of Dutchess, and State of New York, :have invented an Improvement in Punching Boot, Shoe, and other Leather-Work; and I do here by declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, isa deseliptioniof my invention sufficient to enablethose skilled in the art to practise it.

. The invention relates to the construction of punches or punching-machines designed palticularly for1 use in punching holes in leather stock, 'for reeption ,of eye construction, and effective in automatically feeding the stock,V and punching through it a series of holes equidistant om the edge; and

` The invention consists, primarily, in combining with a'veltically-reciprocating punch, a pair of feed-rolls, to which intermittent rotative movement is impartedby the reciprocations of the punch-stocker bar.

The drawings represent a machine embodying my invention.

` A shows the -machine in front elevation.

B is a side view of the same. i

C is a rear view of it.

a denotes a standard or head,in which slides a vertically-reciprocating bar, b, a projection, c, of which carries the punch d, the bar or earlier b being carried up by a stout spiing, e, and being drawn down by a suitable treadle, connected to a rod, f, fastened to the carrier, the machine being ixed to a'bench or table by suitable fasteuings, running through a base-plate,l

vh denotes the bed-piece, upon which, and the top of a post, i, the leather to be punched rests, the beflpiece being inserted in the post i, and adjusted .d

height by a screw, k,`the top of the down as itis Wornby the punch.

At thc back of the post is a gau'ge and guide-wall, I, against which the edge of the stock rests,' to gauge thedistance of the holes from the edge of the stock, this guide-piece being adjusted in distance from the centre of the punch-bed by anAadjusting-screw and slot, m. On one side of the post is a pair of feed-rolls, n, the lower ,one of Whichis preferably surfaced with rubber or other elastic material, and rotates on a stationary shaft or pin, while the-upper-one is hung on a bed being led p shaft or pin projecting from a slide-bar, p, which slides up in the head a, and is pressed down to bring the roll against the lower roll, '(or against thestock, between the two rolls,) bya spring, r, and having a suitable handle, s, projecting through a slot in the head, and enabling the rolls to be. separated, for introduction of the stock V.between them.

The line of contact of the rolls is in a horizontal plane with the bed-piece h., and the end of the stock laid upon the bed, being introduced between the rolls, ltheir rotation in the direction -of the arrow will feed the stock.

To make this feed automatic, that is to say, to ef- N furnish'a machine simple in feet the feed by the movement of the punch, and to rotate the feed-rolls intermittently, to cause them to feed the stock while the punch is rising, and to leave the stock stationary upon the bed when the punch is 'descendingy a mechanism is employed as. follows:

Brojecting from the rear of the punch-stock, through a slot, s', is a stud, t, to which is hung a pawl, u, the tooth of which is pressed against and engages with the teet of a ratchet-wheel, c, fixed upon the shaft'which carries the lower feed-roll.

The tooth of the pawl is made hooking in form, and

wheel rotatively, as the pawl rises with the punch-bar or stock, the wheel being held stationary, when the pawl descends, by a detaining-pawl, w, the pawl slipping over theratchet-teeth in such descent.

The extent of rotative movement of the ratchetstock, are determined and graduated, by means of an adj usting-screw, x, passing through an ear, y, projecting from the standard, a stud, z, projecting from the punch-stock, striking this screw as the punch rises.

As the extentof upward movement of the-feedpawl, and consequent extent of movement of the ratchet, depend upon the, extent of movement of the punch-bar, it will be readily seen that by turning the screw up or down, the feed may be graduated to any distance at which it is desirable to punch the holes apart.

To regulate the extent of downward movement ofA stock,- or to the top of the bed'h, an adjusting-screw, j, passes through an ear upon the top of the punchbar, the end of this screw being set so vthat it shall strike the top of the head a, when the punch, in descending, reaches the bed h.

It will thus be seen that the whole machine is very simple, strong, compact, and enduring, with such provision for adjustments .as shall adapt it to all variations required in punching boot and shoe-stock, and leatherwork in general.

I claim, in combination with a vertically-reciprocating punch, feed-rolls, intermittently rotated `(to cause the stock to progress for the successive actions of the punch) by a pawl attached to the punch-bar, and 4operating upon a ratchet-wheel placed upon or connected with the shaft of one of the feed-rolls.

Also, in combination with the reciprocating punchbar, and-thel ratchet and pawl, the provision for adjustment of the extent of upward movement of the bar, to graduate the feed, substantially as described.

Also, iucombination with the reciprocating punchbar and the stationary punch-bed, the provisionfor adjustment of the extent of downward movement of the punch, to cause the punch to work just through the stock, substantially as described.

` CHARLES H. HELMS. Witnesses:

'FRANCIS GoULD,

Ezels P. Gouin).

hooks "into a tooth of the ratchet-wheel, and moves the wlLeel, and the corresponding lateral movement of the;

the punch, so that its end shall just pass through the( 

